Dances with Fever: A Steel and Fire Book
by ChampagneWishesCameTrue
Summary: Dara and Siv have escaped, but they are not out of danger yet. Only this time, the danger comes from within. Although they have made it safely to Siv's grandfather's kingdom, but Siv is suffering from a dangerously high fever... A mini-story from the "Steel and Fire Book Verse" Siv/Dara. Sickfic-central. No point. Less plot. Not your thing? That's cool. Move along.
1. Chapter 1

If you haven't read any of the books in the "Steel and Fire" series - go read them!

Disclaimer: I don't own these books. Jordan Rivet does and her writing is amazing

Next disclaimer: This is a sickfic. There is no real plot. Not actual purpose. This is the stuff I right. Don't like it, don't read it, don't flame it. Much thanks.

Takes place during "Dance of Steel" (Book #3). Siv is a tall, handsome prince with dark hair and well-cut cheek bones. Dara is his golden-haired body guard, forming dueling partner and forbidden love interest. Siv was a recently crowned king who just lost his throne. He was badly injured during the fight and flight from his mountain kingdom with Dara. They've just arrived at the home of Siv's grandfather, King Atrin. Siv has been reunited with his mother Tirra and younger sister, Selivia. During a tense dinner, he asks his father for troops to retake control of the city, but is rebuffed. Trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, despite a climbing fever from an infected wound, he has excused himself from the dinner table. Dara, seeing his faultering steps, rushes to his side and put his arm over his shoulder.

"I would have made it." Siv grunts at Dara, even as he leans into her. She is very strong, and even though he's several inches taller than her and a good deal heavier, she bears his weight easily. She had also been severely drained in their flight from the kingdom, but her's was a different kind of draining, while physically uninjured, she had stretched her new-found fire powers to their very limit. And she had faced her father.

The man who killed Siv's father.

"You might have made it, or you might have fallen on your face." Even though she is immune to fire, and has a tolerance for heat, Dara can feel the heat from Siv's fever.

"Maybe. Dara, I don't think I'm going to be able to practice with you tomorrow." The days when he and Dara practiced dueling together, the days when he had to be coached to take danger seriously, seemed long ago.

"It's alright Siv, I'll let it go this time." They were almost to Siv's chambers. Dara helped him inside and sat him down his soft feather bed. She helped him change into a soft night shirt, Siv's discomfort from the fever and the pain from his wounds as he dressed, lessened by Dara's closeness, the way her fingers would brush against his flesh. Too feverish, and suddenly feeling a chill in the air, Siv only too readily climbed under the covers.

Dara noticed there was a sleeping potion at the ready for Siv, but it was unnecessary. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was asleep. Dara would have liked to spend another moment with him, but Tirra had rushed into the room. In the mountains, Tirra was a waif, but in her homeland, she was vibrant and she fixed Dara with an intent stare. However, she only held it for a moment, before rushing to to Siv's bedside.

"He's asleep. He needs rest."

"Don't tell me what my son needs," Tirra snapped. She sat on Siv's bedside and brushed her fingers through his thick dark hair. "No wonder he was so out of sorts at dinner. He must have felt terribly. My poor boy." She kissed his forehead and then fixed Dara with a hard stare, as if it was all her fault.

Maybe some of it was. But it was not that simple.

"Good night your highness." Dara curtsied and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Dara woke up to a bright sun streaming in through the windows. Feeling more refreshed than she had in days, she warmed up with some quick calisthenics and then decided to find Selivia. She wanted to see how Siv's condition was, but she had a feeling he would still be sleeping.

Selivia was obviously very sad after the news of her sister, but she was only a child with an upbeat and positive personality. Having not seen any of the destruction herself, Dara could tell she was having a hard time wrapping her mind around the events, and she refused to believe her sister was dead. She asked Dara tons of questions and Dara didn't mind answering as they ate their breakfast.

Dara was surprised when halfway through breakfast Siv slumped in. He didn't look much better for having gotten a night of rest, if anything he looked worse, his eyes looked sunken and he was pale. When he was served breakfast, he mostly pushed the food around the plate. He barely looked at Dara and Selivia. In fact, Dara was pretty sure he was avoiding looking at her all together. The three sat in an awkward silence.

Siv cleared his throat. "I think Grandfather is right. I'll take a few days to rest and do some research and then I'll convince him. I'll come up with a plan."

Dara nodded. It seemed reasonable, but as she looked at Siv's gaunt appearance and his usual appetite's absence, she felt it might be longer than a few days.

"Rest now, research later?" She suggested.

He shook his head. "I'll be in the study. I'm really not feeling that poorly." Dara shook her head and followed him. If he was going to be completely stubborn about this, she would make sure to be there so she could catch him when he finally fell.


	3. Chapter 3

Siv pinched the bridge of his nose against a headache and rolled his aching shoulders. Despite it's high ceilings, the library felt hot and stuffy, and it was too bright, afternoon sunlight streaming in. A single bead of sweat, rolled down the side of his face.

Dara was napping on the couch, her golden hair streaming around her shoulders. He was glad. She needed the rest.

He took off his outer coat and resumed his reading. Another hour passed and afternoon clouds rolled in, obscuring the sun. He shivered in the cold and put his coat back on, but continued to shiver. His headache was growing worse and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up this facade. Dara, as if sensing Siv's growing discomfort popped up.

"Welcome back sleeping beauty."

"How long was out for?"

"A couple of hours. You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to disturb you." Siv realized, he had his arms wrapped around himself, and his speech was clenched and tight as he tried to keep his teeth from rattling.

"And you look absolutely terrible. Come on, we need to get you to bed."

"I thought you'd never ask." Siv winked slyly.

As they walked through the halls back to Siv's room, Tirra found them.

"Siv! There you are! What are you doing out of bad? The healer is back to examine you."

Siv groaned. "I'm fine mother really. I was just doing a bit of research and I was just returning to my rooms."

In a stride, his mother was beside him. Gently but firmly she put her hand to feel Siv's forehead. "You're burning up. Just like I thought. Bed. Now."

Siv sighed as his mother pulled him away and towards his bedroom.

The healer held his wrist and clucked as he redressed the wounds. The infected one was slathered with even more disgusting paste. He also made Siv drink some foul tasting tea.

"His fever is rising, he needs to stay in bed and rest."

"I'm right here, you know!" Siv growled at the doctor.

The doctor blinked at him. "The last time I gave you this instruction, you seemed to have some trouble following it." Siv grumbled. A few days ago, he had been king, now he was being spoken to like a small child, and he was honestly too weak to fight it.

A nurse had even been assigned to make sure he followed the doctor's orders. She tried to spoon feed Siv but he wasn't having it. Eventually she let gave in and let him sip at the watery soup, but he wasn't hungry and he struggled to eat it, only the nurse's watchful eye kept him going.

Finally it was done and he sank back in exhausted relief. The nurse helped him adjust the pillows into a more comfortable position, and Siv fell asleep.

He awoke a few hours later drenched in sweat. At first he thought it was a good sign and that his fever had broken, but when he tried to climb out of bed, his limbs were weak and rubbery. His nurse was by his side in a flash, and though it was humiliating, he was grateful for the help. Crawling back into bed took a surprising amount of his strength and he collapsed against the pillows.

The nurse offered him tea and began to administer to him, wiping away the sweat, and then bundling him back under the covers as soon as she was done.

"Where's Dara? Can I see her?"

"Maybe after you've had your supper."

Siv made as if to try and leave the bed, but the nurse jumped to block him and he was to weak to fight. His limbs felt like the flesh and bone had been replaced with water. Pathetic.

"Please, let me see her." If he was going to be pathetic, fine. He could use that tactic too.

The nurse sighed. "We'll see how you're feeling after dinner."

Siv nodded, and tried to eat the watery soup with more gusto than he had at lunch time, but his head was spinning and he thought he might be sick.

The physician came back, examined him, frowned. He ordered all the bandages changed and this time put a foul smelling plaster over the infected wound and didn't bandage it up.

He patted Siv's shoulder and Siv winced from the light touch. He felt like he was on fire. "We're going to have to draw the poisons out. I'm sorry to tell you that I do believe you are in for a particularly rough evening. I've left you a sleeping potion. I'd advise you take half now and then the other half if you wake up in the middle of the night."

"I really don't feel that bad." Siv tried to sit up a little straighter. "I am a little thirsty though."

The doctor motioned to the nurse. "Make sure he has plenty to drink. I believe his mother and sister are coming to say good night. Make sure he drinks his tea directly after."

The nurse nodded.

"What about Dara?" Siv tried calling after the doctor, but he was weak and his voice didn't carry.

The nurse gave him cool water to drink and he drank thirstily before his mother and sister swept into the room.

Selivia ran to his bedside and flung her arms around him. "Don't die, okay?"

Siv laughed and touseled her hair, feigning more heartiness than he felt. "It's just a scratch. It happens in battle. The healer is taking excellent care of me."

"Promise you'll do as he says now?"

"It's really hardly necessary, but yes," Siv knew he'd at least be keeping that promise that evening. Even putting on this show for his sister was rapidly draining him.

And he wanted to see Dara.

"Where is she?" He demanded of his mother.

"In her rooms I believe."

"Will you please tell her I want to see her."

"My son." His mother ran her hand down his cheek. "You need to rest. Here, the doctor said you should take this. It will help you sleep."

Siv wanted to fight, but it was his mother, and she was soft and close and her fingers were cool against his hot brow. He drank without complaint.


	4. Chapter 4

Siv awoke hours later in cloying, hot darkness. Shadows loomed above him and the room spun and his head ached when he tried to sit upright.

"Siv?" A soft familiar hand brushed his arm lightly.

"Dara?" He groped blindly in the darkness. For a moment he couldn't find her, was she phantasm of this overbearing night? A shadow?

Her hand on his shoulder made him jump and then he groaned in pain at his own sudden movement, acutely aware of the infected wound.

"Sorry Siv, I didn't mean to scare you." She stroked his forehead. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"Y'r'here now." Siv's words slurred with exhaustion.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"There's medicine, next to you. S'posed... help me sleep. Need to take it."

Dara helped him sit up, and Siv let himself be held by her, and drank from the cup as she offered it to his lips. He wanted to raise his arm and stroke her soft cheeks, feel her golden hair that glinted in the moonlight, but he was too weak.

After he drank the rest of the terrible concoction, Dara helped him drink more water, then settled him back down.

Despite the medicine, his fever continued to climb through the night. Dara could feel it as she held his hand. She imagined it was Fire and tried to draw it from him, but it was not fire, and it did nothing. His hand grew hotter in his, and he sweat and shivered throughout the night. Dara stayed next to him, stoking his hair gently when he woke and speaking softly to him, even as he unable to register his surroundings, he knew she was there.

Finally, towards morning, his fever seemed to slacken somewhat, and he and Dara fell into an exhausted doze, their hands stretched towards each other.


	5. Chapter 5

"What is this!" A voice woke them both. Dara lept upright, but Siv was slower coming into conciousness.

Tirra advanced towards the bed. "You need to leave," she ordered. Dara looked helpless at Siv, who had stirred briefly but had fallen unconscious again.

"I'm sorry, I just came to check on him and his fever was high and -"

"Well, maybe if you had been a better body guard, he wouldn't be lying here in bed like this at all! Now leave us!"

Dara fled the room, her chest tight.

She encountered Selivia in the hall. "How's Siv?"

"I think he's resting more comfortably now. His fever was very high last night."

"But you took care of him, right?" Selivia looked up at Dara, her eyes full of trust.

"I tried... Your mother is with him now. I'm sure the healer will be back later."

"Thanks Dara. You're not getting sick too are you?" She peered a little closer. "You look pale."

"No, I'm fine. Just a bit tired, it was kind of a long night." Her stomach rumbled. "Guess I'm a bit hungry too."

Selivia brightened at this information. "Well, you should go to the kitchens and see what the chef will make you." She lowered her voice. "I know my mother isn't very pleased with you, but the rest of the staff know your devotion to my brother. The nurse saw you two last night. She told my mother. But she also told everyone else that you were a perfect caretaker. I think the kitchen would be happy to feed you."

Dara shrugged but followed Selivia's advice and found that she right. The chef was soon serving her lamb pie, fresh biscuits and pastries, and a variety of nuts and cheese. Dara ate heartily and then found her way to her own bedroom, where she fell asleep for many hours.


End file.
